{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nAdam Kurtz, a Democratic Party candidate also known as \"Ditch,\" is running for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election [1]. The race is an open-seat contest following the term limitation of incumbent Republican Bill Lee, with the general election scheduled for November 3, 2026 [4]. Kurtz appears on the ballot for the Democratic primary, which is set to take place on August 6, 2026 [1].\n\nKurtz self-describes as a musician and states that he is running to bring \"fresh energy\" to Tennessee politics by challenging the entrenched political establishment in Nashville [3]. He emphasizes a platform focused on affordable, empathetic, and community-first governance, aiming to improve the quality of life for all Tennesseans through access to education, healthcare, and economic dignity [3]. Kurtz lives in Nashville with his dog Zebulon and plays pedal steel guitar and six-string guitar in bands across the country and the world [2].\n\nThe 2026 gubernatorial field includes candidates from Republican, Democratic, and Independent backgrounds [4]. Political analysis suggests that the Democratic primary is fragmented, with other contenders such as Jerri Green holding significant support in prediction markets [5]. The broader race is viewed as a test of whether Tennessee Democrats are prepared to compete effectively against the state's Republican majority [6].\n\n## Background and education\n\nAdam Kurtz, who is known by the nickname \"Ditch,\" self-describes as a working musician and states that he lives in Nashville with his dog Zebulon [2]. He has earned a respected place in Nashville\u2019s music scene as a skilled pedal steel and six-string guitarist, collaborating with various artists and performing in bands around the country and the world [3].\n\nThe provided sources do not contain specific information regarding Kurtz's birthplace, year of birth, upbringing, religion, or formal educational background, including schools attended or degrees earned.\n\n## Career\n\nBefore entering electoral politics, Adam Kurtz established a career as a professional musician in Nashville, Tennessee [2]. He performs as a pedal steel and six-string guitarist, playing with bands across the United States and internationally [2]. His musical repertoire includes work with artists such as Joshua Ray Walker, Sunny Sweeney, and Silverada [10]. Kurtz has also released his own music under the name Adam Kurtz, including albums titled *Storms Of Steel*, *M-I-LL-E-R Lite*, and *Hi, Society* [7][8].\n\nKurtz self-describes as a \"musician on a mission\" who lives in Nashville with his dog, Zebulon [2]. He has utilized his musical platform for political fundraising, hosting events such as a \"FUNraiser\" at Vinyl Tap in Nashville [9]. In 2026, he announced his candidacy for Governor of Tennessee, positioning himself as a Democrat seeking to challenge the state's entrenched political establishment [10].\n\n## Office history\n\nAdam Kurtz has held no prior elected or appointed public office [1]. He is a musician who self-describes as being on a mission to take back Tennessee for those seeking a government with humanity and compassion [2]. Kurtz states that he brings fresh energy to Tennessee politics by blending his roots as a working musician with a belief in affordable, empathetic, and community-first governance [3].\n\nKurtz is running for election as Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 cycle [1]. The 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial election is an open-seat contest scheduled for November 3, 2026, with primaries occurring on August 6, 2026 [4]. Kurtz is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on August 6, 2026 [1]. As of May 11, 2026, the outcome of this election is unknown [1].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nAdam Kurtz self-describes his professional background as that of a working musician rather than a business executive or entrepreneur [2]. He states that he plays pedal steel guitar and six-string guitar in bands across the country and internationally, noting that he earns his living through this musical career [2][3]. His campaign materials emphasize his roots in Nashville\u2019s music scene as a skilled guitarist who has collaborated with various artists, rather than detailing corporate ownership or commercial business ventures [3].\n\nPublicly available biographical summaries do not identify specific family wealth sources, significant personal financial disclosures, or ownership stakes in major commercial enterprises for Kurtz [1]. Instead, his political identity is framed around his career as a musician and his platform focused on affordable, empathetic governance [3]. There are no reported sales of businesses or large-scale commercial transactions associated with his background in the provided records.\n\n## Family\n\nAdam Kurtz self-describes as a musician who resides in Nashville with his dog Zebulon [2]. He does not publicly list a spouse or children in available biographical materials [3].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Adam Kurtz (Tennessee) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Adam_Kurtz_(Tennessee))\n[2] [Adam \"Ditch\" Kurtz for Governor](https://www.ditch4governor.com/)\n[3] [About \u2014 Adam \"Ditch\" Kurtz for Governor](https://www.ditch4governor.com/about)\n[4] [Who is running for Tennessee Governor 2026?](https://suttonsmart.com/national-political-news/who-is-running-for-tennessee-governor-2026/)\n[5] [Who Wins the Tennessee Democratic Governor Primary?](https://www.lines.com/prediction-markets/elections/tennessee-governor-democratic-primary-winner)\n[6] [Who\u2019s Running for Governor of Tennessee in 2026? Full Candidate Field, Analysis, and What It Means](https://redstatebluevoter.substack.com/p/who-wants-to-govern-tennessee)\n[7] [Storms Of Steel - Adam Kurtz - Bandcamp](https://adamkurtz.bandcamp.com/album/storms-of-steel)\n[8] [M-I-LL-E-R Lite, by Adam Kurtz](https://adamkurtz.bandcamp.com/track/m-i-ll-e-r-lite)\n[9] [COME ON OUT for my second-ever, first in Nashville ...](https://www.facebook.com/adamkurtz/videos/come-on-out-for-my-second-ever-first-in-nashville-funraiser-at-vinyl-taptag-a-fr/1571161440967154/)\n[10] [Out With Bill Lee, Please: Adam \"Ditch\" Kurtz Announces Run For Tennessee Governor With Event At The 5 Spot - Music Mecca](https://musicmecca.org/out-with-bill-lee-please-adam-ditch-kurtz-announces-run-for-tennessee-governor-with-event-at-the-5-spot/)","campaigns":[],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Adam","fullname":"Adam Kurtz","lastname":"Kurtz","office_history":[],"summary":"Adam 'Ditch' Kurtz is a Democratic candidate and musician running for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election.","terms":[],"token":"RC8hoUc32o"}